Poorly-lit streets pose threat to women security

Anantapur: Several streets without any lighting are posing danger to the pedestrians and vehicle riders in Anantapur city. There are many dark areas in the city especially in the expanded residential colonies, without streetlights as burnt out lights were not replaced with new ones.

Women’s security is under threat as there were incidents of chain snatching in streets without lights. Hamali colony, Adarsh Nagar, Naiknagar, Azhad Nagar, Housing Board, Janasajti Nagar, Chinmaya Nagar, Navidaya colony, Vinayak Nagar, Janasajti Nagar, Bhagya Nagar and Lakshmi Nagar have tens of current poles but without lights. The high mast lights installed with lots of fanfare at several main junctions in the city are not maintained properly.

People criticising that the maintenance staff is lethargic in attending their duty and they are not informing their higher-ups about the non-availability of required material.

Besides darkness, the city also facing garbage problem. Sainagar, Ashok Nagar, Jesus Nagar, Kamalanagar, Guljarpet, Ramnagar and old town and RTC complex residential areas are full of uncleared garbage.

A trader, Ramana, questioned why the civics staff is not taking up street lights maintenance and not clearing garbage regularly?

Poor roads are making it risky for regular commuters on vehicles with pits and multiple speed breakers. The road that passes through medical College to Ashok Nagar and to Collector office is a VIP road, as vehicles of district Collector, Joint Collector, DRO and all district officials pass through this road. But this road full of potholes.

Sandhya Rani, an IT professional, talking to The Hans India said that the civic budget should prioritise spending on maintenance of roads and improve street lighting and tackle street dogs and pigs menace. She opined that civic officials should release a white paper on their priorities of spending. She wondered why the officials concerned are not even repairing bad roads. Why they are not replacing defunct lights? Many streets and lanes in residential areas are in darkness because of burnt-out bulbs and unmaintained lighting infrastructure, she criticised.